Field of the Invention
This invention relates to techniques for improving the efficiency of turbine engines and reduction of noxious components in the turbine exhaust gases. More particularly, the invention relates to a new and improved injector for turbine engines, which injector is characterized in a preferred embodiment by a shaped injector core fitted with an eccentric spinner inlet nozzle communicating with a cylindrical, annular spinner chamber, and a preheater or evaporator for preheating fuel and injecting the vaporized fuel at a selected temperature into the fuel spinner chamber through the eccentrically-positioned fuel spinner nozzle or opening, to effect a spinning fuel sequence around a fuel guidance pin extending through the fuel spinner chamber. Compressed air from the turbine compressors flows through the primary nozzle of an air guidance nozzle enclosing each injector core, into a shaped secondary nozzle and mixes with the spinning fuel in a flow focus zone at a selected mixing air flow angle to facilitate thorough and homogeneous mixing of the fuel as it is channeled into the annular turbine combustor. The unique spinning component applied to the preheated, vaporized fuel by the several injectors and the manner of introducing air into the spinning fuel from the respective secondary nozzles of the air guidance nozzles effects surprisingly good air-fuel mixing and facilitates excellent engine operating efficiency and reduction of undesirable "NOX" emissions in the turbine exhaust gases.
One of the problems which is arising in ever-increasing significance is that of noxious, air-polluting components in the exhaust gases of turbine engines, including jet airplane engines and such equipment as stationary engines, typically turbine-operated generators, pumps and refrigeration turbine engines, as well as other engines and systems utilizing fuel injecting equipment. Solutions to this problem have included both wet and dry "NOX" control techniques which are well known to those skilled in the art, for the purpose of lowering undesirable turbine exhaust gas emissions. These emissions are hereinafter collectively referred to as NOX and include such ingredients such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and the like, and in light of current pollution control standards, new and improved techniques for reducing these undesirable NOX emissions from turbine and other system exhaust gases is necessary. The conventional use of wet NOX and dry NOX techniques for achieving this result require heavier and more complex turbine equipment and are therefore counterproductive in many installations, including aircraft, as well as industrial and other applications.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved injector for turbine engines of various design, which injector not only increases the efficiency of the turbine engine with no increase in weight or complexity, but also reduces the emission of noxious, air-polluting components (NOX) from the turbine exhaust.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved injector for turbine engines and other engines and systems utilizing fuel injection equipment of various design, which injector is characterized by an injector core shaped to define an internal, curved, annular fuel spinner chamber having a centrally-projecting fuel guidance pin to facilitate spinning of fuel vapor introduced into the fuel spinner from an evaporator through an eccentrically-positioned spinner inlet, such that a spiral of spinning, preheated and vaporized fuel is created in the fuel spinner chamber and mixes with incoming compressed air from the turbine compressors or alternative air source at a selected mixing angle to effect a surprisingly complete and homogeneous mixture of air and fuel channeled to the turbine or engine combustor system.
Still another object of this invention is to provide new and improved injectors for turbine engines, a selected design number of which injectors can be retrofitted to the annular combustion of existing turbine engines, as well as provided on new turbine engines and each injector including an air guidance nozzle enclosing a tapered injector core having an internal cylindrical, annular fuel spinner chamber defined around an outwardly-projecting fuel guidance pin having an enlarged end or tip, wherein preheated, vaporized fuel from a heat exchanger enters the fuel spinner chamber through an eccentrically-oriented spinner inlet to facilitate a spiral rotation of fuel in the annular fuel spinner chamber around the fuel guidance pin and from the fuel spinner chamber, guided by the fuel guidance pin tip, into an inwardly-directed, continuous, compressed air stream flowing through the corresponding air guidance nozzle, to create a significantly homogeneous, stoichiometric mixture of fuel and air prior to entrance of the combustible mixture into the annular turbine combustor.